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TweetWhat I learned in 2010 can be summed up in one individual
Except for reading the occasional year end articles (notables include Kotadia, Maggie Fox, McAfee) I typically skip the tradition of trying to summarize an entire year in 10 bullet points. The Enterprise 2.0/Social Business space is just too dynamic with many starts, stops and do-overs.

Yet in 2010 I noticed the impact that Technology/Brand Evangelists are having on their companies. I noticed how they’re using social media to create real sales opportunities. I noticed how they’re creating exceptional buzz around their brands that was once the domain of the world’s largest media powerhouses.

Bottom line: These Evangelists are creating real shareholder value. Allow me to make the case.

Scoble’s Impact in Numbers

Is there a Scoble Effect at Rackspace?

When Scoble started at Rackspace (NYSE: RAX) on March 19, 2009 the stock was trading at $5.98 dollars. As of January 3, 2011 the stock was trading at $31.33 which represents an enormous 457% increase in stock appreciation. I know you’re thinking that the increase may be due to a lot of other reasons, but let’s look at it in slightly more detail.

The only true way to measure causal effect is to conduct an experiment. Since we can’t run an A/B test on Scoble’s employment with Rackspace, we’ll have to settle for an educated theory.
The graph below illustrates the Rackspace stock price (and some of its publicly traded competitors) before and after Scoble’s arrival (represented with a blue arrow).
While we can’t with certainty state that there’s an association between Scoble’s arrival and the RAX’s superior stock performance, we can note that prior to Scoble’s arrival RAX maintained price parity with its competitors. Shortly after his arrival however, RAX broke from the pack and has maintained a superior return.

There are of course many other factors that we can examine to determine causality of superior stock performance and I recognize that. Yet one thing is certain. Scoble’s impact on social media and his public relations (PR) value to Rackspace. And I believe the PR value is translating into dollars.

Why You Need a Robert Scoble

While to some Scoble is an outlier – even an exception, I view his role as essential and the baseline example of what every company should have on staff. I recognize the dedication, hard work and craft Scoble brings, but I don’t believe he possesses a set of unique abilities that can’t be found in other people.

But not every company is like Rackspace. Some executives will quickly label the role as wasteful and not necessary. I disagree (and so does Rackspace). What these executives ignore is the reach and influence of people like Scoble. When Scoble uses his multi-channel, multi-media approach to communicate – many tune in. He has the ability to produce what psychologists call the herd effect.

And who doesn’t want a herd focused on their own brand?

In fact it has never been easier and cheaper to create powerful stories about your industry or brand and communicate them to decision makers and influencers of your product. Smartly, Scoble doesn’t limit himself to covering Rackspace’s industry. He expands his reach into a broader technology spectrum that over time attracts prospective customers that normally never hear of Rackspace.

At MindTouch I have the unique ability to talk to a lot of people. Many of these people are official Evangelists and some just inherit the title. While they aren’t as visible as Scoble (yet) each has an impact on their respective companies. I’d like to highlight a few:

While Scoble does not look like a celebrity (I think he’d agree ), he certainly has the power to influence like one. In my opinion, he also has the ability to impact shareholder value. Which for me is one of the primary lessons I learned from observing the space in 2010.